I was expecting N300 million once I resumed at National Assembly - House of Reps member

Honourable Festus Adefiranye representing Oke-Igbo/Ile-Oluji/Odigbo Federal Constituency of Ondo state in the house of representatives, said he did not get the N300 million he expected when he resumed at the lower chamber.

Adefiranye said the housing allowance he received for the four years did not cover his one-year rent in the federal capital territory.

He said:

“And here, the impression they have is that immediately you resume at the National Assembly, you are going to collect N300 million. When I came, I was expecting N300 million.

“I was expecting my N300 million, I’m still expecting it till today,” the federal lawmaker stated this speaking during an interview with Premium Times.

Adefiranye said the impression that lawmakers have collected a lot of money is incorrect.

“If I tell you the housing allowance they gave us for the four years you will not believe it. The house that I rented, the money they gave me is not enough to pay for that house.

“You know I am saying it on camera now. The money they gave us for four years, because they gave us once, is not enough for the one year of the house I rented, but the impression is that they have collected a lot of money; they have collected this, they have collected that.”

The first-time lawmaker in the lower chamber said he receives many requests about people in the hospital, people who want to pay school fees, house rents, marriages, the wife wanting to give birth, a naming ceremony etc.

He explained that the requests are based on the impression that lawmakers will collect N300 million immediately after they resume at the national assembly.

Adefiranye urged the government to develop and empower the youth by teaching them how to fish and not by giving them fish.

“But, beyond all of this, we must make deliberate efforts to develop and empower the youth in terms of human capital development because that is the only way we can grow as a nation. We must ensure the youth have something to do, not by giving them fish but by teaching them how to fish. If you do that, I am telling you, you will have relief.”